1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to sun visors for use with vehicles, such as automobiles. In particular, the present invention relates to sun visors that have a support rod mounted to a ceiling of a vehicle cabin, and a sun visor body that is pivotally mounted to a horizontal rod portion of the support rod. The sun visor body can pivot between a storage position, where the sun visor body is positioned along the vehicle cabin ceiling, and a light-shielding position, where the sun visor body is positioned along a window glass.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, a sun visor of a type described above is known to have a sun visor body that is stored within a recess formed in a vehicle cabin ceiling. The sun visor body can then be stored in a position along the vehicle cabin ceiling while providing a good appearance of the sun visor body in the stored position.
For such a sun visor, in order to further improve the appearance, it may be advantageous that the potential clearance between the circumferential wall of the recess of the vehicle cabin ceiling and the outer peripheral edge of the sun visor body is set to be as small as possible.
However, if the clearance between the circumferential wall of the recess of the vehicle cabin ceiling and the outer peripheral edge of the sun visor body is set too small, it then becomes difficult for a driver or a passenger to insert a finger or fingers in order to pivot the sun visor body to a light-shielding position.
Therefore, Japanese Laid-Open Utility Model Publication No. 2-114513 (Utility Model Registration No. 2541273) proposes a sun visor that has a lock device disposed between the horizontal rod portion of a support rod and a sun visor body. When the sun visor body is positioned in a storage position and is pressed towards the vehicle cabin ceiling, the lock device is released and the sun visor body is biased so as to pivot the sun visor body by a predetermined angle toward the light-shielding position.
However, in the case of the sun visor of this publication, a spring for producing the biasing force is fitted on the horizontal rod portion of the support rod in a position within the sun visor body. A spring engaging member secured to the horizontal rod portion engages one end of the spring. A retainer member provided on the sun visor body engages the other end of the spring. It is very difficult to incorporate this type of construction to a type of sun visor known as a sliding-type sun visor, in which a sun visor body can be slidably withdrawn along a horizontal rod portion of a support rod.